Rear axle steering with front wheel drive



-F313- 1933- v H. CREMER 1,897,551

REAR AXLE STEERING WITH FRONT WHEEL DRIVE Filed Oct. 22, 1931' 2Sheets-Si1eet l ETKZUHJVEYEI 14, 1933. H. CREMER REAR AXLE STEERING WITHFRONT WHEEL DRIVE Filed Oct. 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet jNVENZGE H UREA 5REY I lzvz'amizy rear axle assembly,

Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED sr 'ras PATENT OFFICE HENRY CBEMER, 0FSOUTEG-ATE, CALIFORNIA BEAR AXLE STEERING WI'IH FRONT WHEEL DRIVEApplication filed October 22, 1931. Serial No. 570,420.

This invention relates to automotive vehicles, and has for an ob] actthe provision of a novel design of automotive vehicle wherein the poweris applied to the front wheels and the steering is accomplished by meansof the rear wheels.

Another object is to provide a novel and unusually efficient steeringmeohanlsm for use in connection with the vehicle present invention.

The invention possesses other ob ects and advantageous features, some ofwhich, with those enumerated, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the inventions particular embodiment which is illustratedin the drawings accompanying and forming a art of the specification.

eferring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view-of the chassis of an automobile embodying theprinciples of the present invention, portions of the figure being brokenaway to disclose some of the operative portions of the device.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation, the direction of view beingindicated by the arrow 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the a portion of the figure beingbroken awa to reduce its size.

Fig. 4. is an en arged top plan view of a portion of the structureillustrated upon Fi 3.

Fig. 5 is a view in rear elevation of the rear axle assembly, thedirection of view being indicated by the arrow 5 of Fig. 3. A

- portion of the braking mechanism is shown in vertical section, withthe operative portions of the device in brake-releas1ng posltion.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, with the brake applied.

Fig. ,7 1s a diagrammatic perspective view showing a portion of'themechanism for controlling the brake.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the steering knuckles. v

Fi 9 is a perspective view of one of the double bell cranks which formsa portion of the brake-operating mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawof the l mit a bevel gear 34ings, I show at 10 the chassis of an automotive vehicle embodying theprinciples of the present invention, andcomprising a frame 11 havinglongitudinal members 12 joined by transverse members 13 in accordancewith customary practice. Front and rear axles 14 and 16 are mounted uponthe frame by front and rear springs 17 and 18, respective- A motor 20 ofany suitable design is mounted upon the frame 11, and is adapted todeliver rotative power to the front wheels 1 19 which are mounted uponthe front axle 14, through the expedient of a suitable differentialmechanism which is not shown, but Erihich is enclosed within a suitablehousing Steering of the vehicle is accomplished by means of the rearwheels 22 which are mounted upon the rear axle 16 by means of gemoinepivots indicated in theinentirety at I The construction and operation ofthe rear axle assembly and the Lemoine pivots associated therewith willbest be understood by reference to Figs. 3, 5, and 6. Each end of therear axle 16 is bifurcated to provide vertically spaced prongs 26 and 27extending substantially parallel with, each other. A vertical shaft 28extends betweenthe prongs 26 and 27at each end of the rear axle 16, andserves as the pivotal mounting for a steering knuckle 29 which isillustrated in detail upon Fig. 8. The inner end of each steer ingknuckle 29 is bifurcated to provide spaced prongs 31 and 32 havingalined. apertures 33 therein, whereby each knuckle is mounted upon theassociated vertical shaft 28 with the prongs 31 and .32 disposed betweenthe prongs 26 and 27. The distance between the outer surfaces of theprongs 31 and 32 is sufficiently less than the distance between theinner surfaces of the prongs 26 and 27 to perto be accommodated betweenthe upper prong 31 of each steering knuckle and the upper prong 26 atthe associated end of the axle 16. This gear 34 is rigidly connected tothe upper prong 31 of the steering knuckle in any suitable manner, suchas by pins 36. Each of the bevel fee - friction lining 58 '40 steeringknuckle 29 a gears 34 is enmeshed by a driving bevel gear 37 mountedrigidly upon a transverse shaft 38 which extends from the associatedLemoine pivot 23 to a position adjacent the central portion of the axle16, where it is provided with another bevel gear 39 within a suitablehousing 41. Both' gears 39 are ensteering mechanism 43, which includes ashaft 44 upon which the gear 42 is mounted, and which is connected byany suitable mechanism 46 to a steering wheel 47 conveniently accessibleto the driver of the vehicle.

Each of the steering knuckles 29 is provided with a spindle portion 51,upon which the associated rear wheel 22 is journaled for free rotationthereabout; and between the spindle 51 and the prongs 31 and 32 of eachnon-circular portion 52,preferably square,--is provided.

A brake drum 53 is mounted rigidly upon each of the rear wheels 22, butinstead of being cylindrical, the flange 54 of each drum 53 has theconfiguration of a conical frustum. Associated with each of the brakedrums 53 is another conical brake member 56, which also is provided witha frusto-conical flange 57, u on the outer surface of which a suitableis provided. The brake member 56 is adapted to be received inside theconical flange 54 of the drum 53, the parts being so proportioned andarranged that when the member 56 moves into the drum 53 the lining 58will be pressed against the inner surface of the flange 54 to resistrelative rotation between the members 56 and 53. The member 56 ismounted for sliding movement upon the non-circular portion 52 of theassociated steering knckle 29, the result being that it is held againstrotation. For this purpose, each of the inner brake members 56 isprovided with a head 59 having a bore substantially complementary inshape to the cross sectional configuration of the non-circular portion52 of the associated steering knuckle, this head being rigidly connectedto the associated inner brake member 56 in any suitable manner, andpreferably provided with braces 61 to yield a stronger construction.

The brake-acuating mechanism comprises 'a double bell crank 66associated with each of the brake members 56. Each bell crank embracesthe associated steering knuckle 29 and is pivotally' mounted thereuponby means of a horizontal pin 67 extending through a hole 68 provided inthe steering knuckle 29 for that urpose. From the pin 67 one leg69-exten s vertically downwards upon each side of the knuckle 29, andanother leg 70 extends horizontally upon each side of the knuckle 29from the pivot pin 67. In order to yield a unitary construction of thedouble bell crank 66, I prefer that the two horizontal legs 70 be joinedas by a web 71, from which, however, the two legs 7 0 extend far enoughto embrace the associated vertical shaft 28. Those portions of thehorizontal legs 70 which embrace the vertical shaft 28 are engaged bythe bifurcated end 72 of a lever 7 3, which also embraces the same shaft28, the bifurcated end 72 resting upon the upper surface of the legs 70,as clearly shown upon Figs. 5 and 6. Each of these levers 73 is pivotedas by a pin 74 adjacent the associated end of the axle 16, and rigidwith each lever 73 is an arm 76 extending up wards from the associatedpin 74.

Means are provided for forcing the arms 76 of both levers 73 outwards soas to a ply the brakes associated with both rear w eels 22simultaneously. This brake-applying mechanism comprises a T-shaped lever77 pivoted as at 78 upon a lug 79 ri d with the axle 16 substantiallymidway etween its ends. Each of two oppositely extending legs 81 isconnected by a push rod 82 to the arm 76 of one of the levers 73, andthe third leg 83 of the lever 77 is connected to another push rod 84which extends forwards to be pivoted to a crank 86 carried by atransversely extending shaft 87 mounted for rocking movement in thelongitudinal members 12 of the frame 11. This shaft 87 is adapted to berocked by means of another crank 88 rigid therewith, and connected by alink 89 t0 the lower end 91 of a brake pedal 92 in such a manner thatwhen the pedal 92 is depressed the link 89 will be pushed, therebyturning I the rock shaft 87 and ushing the push rod 84 toward the rearof the vehicle, thereby causing the T-shaped lever 77 to turn in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed upon Fig. 4. This causes both pushrods 82 to I slots 98 in the legs 69, so that when the bell cranks 66are turned as hereinabove described, the links 96 will be forcedoutwards, pressing the associated inner brake member 56 into the outerbrake member 53, and thereby developing resistance to rotation of theassociated wheel 22. The brake is normally held released by a coilspring 98 encircling each shaft 28, and under compression between theassociated prong 32 and a washer 99 which is ressed upwards against theunder surface the horizontal legs 70 of the associated bell crank 66.

Thus it may be seen that I have provided a novel design of automotivevehicle, possessed of all theadvantages of the front wheel drive, andavoiding the inconvenience of applyin the rotative power to the samewheels as those whereby steering is accomplished. However, anotheradvantage of above descri ed, be turned about the vertical axes of theirres ective Lemoine pivots through substantia ly 90, thereby making itpossible to turn the vehicle in a much shorter radius as compared withvehicles of more conventional construction.

It is to be understood that the details of the invention as hereindisclosed, are subject to alteration within the spirit or scope of theappended claims;

I claim:

1. In an automotive vehicle havin dirigible rear wheels, a rear axlebifurcate at each end toprovide a pair of vertically spaced prongs, asubstantially vertical stationa shaft extending between the prongs ofeac pair, a steering knuckle associated with each end of said axle, aspindle on each of said knuckles, and a wheel journaled u on each ofsaid spindles, the inner end of eac of said knuckles being bifurcated toprovide verti' cally spaced prongs mounted upon the associated verticalshaft for rotary movement about a vertical axis, adriven bevel gearwheel rigid with'one of the prongs of each of said knuckles andencircling said vertical shaft, drivin bevel gear wheels enmeshed withsaid driven bevel gear wheels, and a steerin mchanism for turning saiddriving gear w eels.

2. In an automotive vehicle havin dirigible rear wheels, a rear axlebifurcated at each end to provide a pair of vertically spaced prongs, asubstantially vertical stationa shaft extending between the prongs ofeac pair, a steering lmuckle associated with each end of said axle, aspindle on each of said knuckles, a wheel journaled upon each of saidspindles, the inner end of each of said knuckles being bifurcated toprovide vertically spaced prongs mounted upon the associated verticalshaft for rotary movement about a. vertical axis, a driven bevel gearwheel rigid with one of the pron of each of said knuckles and encirclingsaid vertical shaft and disposed between the prongs of the rear axle,driving bevel gear wheels enmeshed with said driven bevel gear wheels,and a steering mechanism for turning said driving gear w eels.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HENRY CREMEB.

